Economy

This summer, fewer young people in the U.S. are employed than at any time since the government began keeping track.

On Wednesday the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report that found just 48.8 percent of 16-to-24-year-olds had jobs in July.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Maria Altman spoke with Michael Saltsman, a research fellow at the Employment Policies Institute, about what the numbers mean.

• For more perspective on the issue of youth unemployment, see this feature from last year from Maria Altman.

State officials say unemployment in Illinois inched up to 9.5 percent in July, the third consecutive month it has increased.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security says there were 24,900 fewer jobs reported last month.

Unemployment for Illinois was 9.1 percent in June. But the rate one year ago in July was 10.1 percent.

The numbers were released Thursday and are based on data from the state agency and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

On Saturday, Standard and Poor's downgraded the debt of the United States a notch.

But the ratings firm continues to see debt issued by the city of St. Louis as a good investment, though vulnerable to economic shocks.

In a unanimous vote this week the Los Angeles City Council endorsed a plan to build an NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles.  The next step is finding a team, which may have implications for the St. Louis Rams.

The Rams will be able to break their lease on the Edward Jones Dome in 2014 unless the city signs off on a package of expensive upgrades.

The dome is considered by many to be one of the NFL’s worst stadiums.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay says the city does have some money set to pay for upgrades.